Various types of articles of luggage, such as totes, garment bags, golf bags, and back packs are provided with removable straps to facilitate the user's carrying of the article of luggage. Such straps, which quite often extend over the shoulders of the user, will, on many occasions, be carrying a substantial weight. In order to minimize the strain of the bag on the user's shoulder, particularly when the bag may be bouncing as the user is walking, it is well known to provide a shock absorbing strain relief member, typically a length of elastic, in conjunction with the strap. Such a strain relief member has, in the past, been integrated within the shoulder strap structure. Such shoulder straps are generally removable, and could, over a period of time, become lost or worn, requiring the user to obtain a replacement shoulder strap. In such prior constructions, the replacement shoulder strap must naturally have the strain relief included therein, in order to still provide the requisite strain relief and associated comfort to the user. This naturally increases the cost of such replacement shoulder straps.
Another disadvantage of such prior constructions, where the strain relief is provided within the shoulder strap, results in the manner that such articles of luggage are sold to the consuming public. In many instances the removable shoulder strap is placed within the article of luggage, for subsequent securement after the user purchases the luggage. Thus, it will not be apparent to the potential consumer who observes the article of luggage without the removable shoulder strap, that the shoulder strap includes desirable strain relief. The present invention not only simplifies and reduces the cost of replacing the shoulder strap, but makes it readily apparent at the point-of-sale, that the article of luggage does include strain relief in conjunction with its shoulder strap securement. Further, it facilitates the substitution of different lengths of carrying straps while advantageously maintaining strain relief.